Tournament of Shadows

Saltmarsh

With the completion of the city walls and the addition of a new pier for deep water galleons, the city of Saltmarsh is ready to take the next step to become a trading center rather than a backwater town ships avoid unless there are storms at sea. The final step is a strengthening of the city guard and government. To that end, the Mayor’s Keep has been under construction for the span of three Mayorships. The keep is almost complete and the call has gone out for the men and women to bolster the guard and militia. The growth is both boon and bane to the town council, who are trying to responsibly grow the council, balance the power of the current mayor and keep a growing level of politics, intrigue and crime from getting out of control.

What’s your Conscription Number

At each gate, guards pay specific attention to the arrival of armed and armored visitors. Fighters, barbarians, rangers paladins and even armed and armored clerics will be required to register with the city for conscription. Any adventurer can elect to register (and are encouraged to do so, as seasoned fighting men and tacticians are always welcome), but only those listed are required. Women can register for conscription and are readily accepted, though they are not required, regardless of class. Anyone not in armor or carrying martial weapons can claim exempt status, but there are steep fines and possible imprisonment for anyone that is found out.

Each registrant is given a number which is recorded with their name and any unique information and collated daily by the guard.

There is currently a petition in front of the Lord Mayor and his council to create a moratorium on registration until a stronger standing guard and organized militia can be created, and the call has already gone out for the enlistment of interested, able bodied soldiers and men and boys of the appropriate age.

The current increase in shipping tithes has made the possibility of keeping a more robust force more of a reality for the city.

Laws, Damn Laws, Fines and Imprisonment

Fines are typically collected by a magistrate and while there is some bribery and other nefarious activity, most watchmen are upstanding citizens who care for the well-being of the city. Hard labor is a common punishment for greater crimes and it is typically served in the quarry digging stone for the walls and battlements.